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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28064916">4 things Tobio notices and 1 thing he doesn't</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/paniniofdestiny/pseuds/paniniofdestiny'>paniniofdestiny</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>First Kiss, First Love, Fluff, Getting Together, Holding Hands, Love Confessions, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:47:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,234</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28064916</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/paniniofdestiny/pseuds/paniniofdestiny</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tobio has always been forced, by tooth and nail, to look and take notice of Hinata's skill. But at some point, it became less about his volleyball prowess and more about the boy himself.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>178</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>4 things Tobio notices and 1 thing he doesn't</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first thing Tobio notices about Hinata was his innate ability at volleyball. The first game they’d ever played against each other, Hinata had been the only one with any skill on his team. Sure, he was unpracticed and rough far beyond the edges. But his natural skill was high enough that even Tobio had to take notice.</p>
<p>Tobio had only been more reassured of the boy’s talent after finding themselves both at Karasuno, on the same volleyball team. At first, he was only willing to play with Hinata out of necessity, but their first game on the same team had formed the notion in his head that Hinata was meant to play with him. Finally, someone could keep up with Tobio, with all the speed and jump height necessary. Hinata demanded little beyond the ball simply coming to him sometimes. Tobio knew he had at last found someone he could rely on on the volleyball court.</p>
<p>Hinata also practiced as much as Tobio did. He seemed to have the same drive for success, the desire to stay on the court as long as possible. The desire to win. Tobio could always suggest practice with him and he would always accept. It wasn’t long before they spent every moment outside of school and sleep practicing together.</p>
<p>Hinata got better and better right alongside Tobio. They had moments where it seemed like everything was getting worse and they couldn’t synchronize, but at some point it had become cemented into Tobio’s head that no matter what, they would get through it and be able to stand on the court as perfect partners once again. The timing of their quick or a fight were nothing but tiny roadblocks in the path to success Tobio could see rising beneath his feet the longer Hinata stayed by his side and spiked whatever he was sent.</p>
<p>“As long as I’m here, you’re invincible,” Tobio had said and meant.</p>
<p>“As long as you’ve got me, you’re the greatest,” Hinata had said and, seemingly, meant it just as much.</p>
<p>The second thing Tobio noticed about Hinata was that the boy did not mind Tobio’s personality. If anything, Hinata chose to stay by his side time and time again when it was unnecessary. At first, they had been at each other’s throats constantly, bickering beyond normality. Tobio still found Hinata beyond annoying at times. He was sure the feeling was reciprocated as well, and yet every lunch and break, there Hinata was, chatting with Tobio. </p>
<p>Hinata clearly found Tobio abrasive and far too abrupt at times. He said as much, commenting on his lack of tone moderation or poor word choice. Most people tended to avoid speaking with Tobio if they could. He was seen as rude, even if Tobio didn’t mean to be. Hinata had been on the receiving end of this far more than anyone else had ever been, something Tobio felt inwardly upset by whenever he realized this, but Hinata didn’t seem to mind. Somehow, he always understood Tobio’s intentions. </p>
<p>The rest of the team took issue with Tobio’s words sometimes. Typically Tsukishima, who made no secret of his dislike for Tobio’s bluntness. Tobio usually just let those comments roll off his back. Tsukishima was Tsukishima. He could be equally rude back, for all Tobio cared. So long as he continued to play as needed, Tobio wouldn’t alter his actions towards him. </p>
<p>But sometimes, especially after a particularly long day at school, where Tobio had become increasingly frustrated and pent up, only to get to practice and someone had an issue that made him unable to sweat it all out, Tobio would take his anger out on that person, regardless if they were completely unworthy of it. Even the most well meaning of his upperclassmen would be offended by something he said in those moments. But there Hinata was as Tobio immediately stammered out an apology, making light of the situation at Tobio’s expense. If Tobio hadn’t known better, he would probably be annoyed at the dumb nicknames granted to him during those moments. Very quickly though, Tobio realized Hinata was intervening simply to get eyes off of Tobio, to make him move on and not feel the crushing weight of rejection once again. Tobio was more grateful for Hinata in those moments than he was in any other.</p>
<p>“I have no idea what other people feel. And apparently I phrase things the wrong way sometimes,” Tobio had said, trying to offer an explanation for his behavior.</p>
<p>“We know!” Hinata had replied and moved on. </p>
<p>The third thing Tobio noticed about Hinata was, strangely as it felt to him, that he wasn’t bad to look at. He wasn’t quite sure when he realized this, just one day looked up from his lunch at the boy across from him and realized he had a cute face. He was short and small compared to Tobio, and Tobio wondered what it would be like to just wrap him in his arms and hold him. He wondered what it would feel like to run his hands through Hinata’s orange curls or to brush a strand off of his face whenever he fell asleep while they were studying together. </p>
<p>Tobio slowly spent more and more time looking at Hinata, watching him talk with his whole body, excited in everything he did. Tobio spent hours debating with himself what best to compare the boy to. Small animal comparisons felt too obvious and Tobio couldn’t decide what exactly Hinata’s smile could be compared to. He asked Tanaka and Nishinoya this question during a moment after practice where Hinata had finally left his side and been met with knowing, if not slightly confused, looks.</p>
<p>“You’re asking me what Hinata reminds me of?” Tanaka had asked, eyes wide with exasperation. “Why?”</p>
<p>Nishinoya had nodded along, though. “Weird question. A monkey maybe? A small one.”</p>
<p>Tobio had considered that for a while, deciding to ignore Tanaka’s strange reaction. The two second years had both seemed far too interested in Tobio’s reasoning and not the actual question for Tobio’s taste. Hinata was fairly similar to a monkey. But yet, that still couldn’t quite explain why Tobio wanted to be so close to him. It couldn’t explain why every small brush of their arms together sent Tobio’s heart racing, why his face burned at every laugh.</p>
<p>Tobio, one midnight while lying awake in bed pondering that very question, decided Hinata was most similar to the sun. The next day he announced this to a sleepily flustered Hinata before morning practice. Hinata had taken far too long to let Tobio’s words sink in, and then turned a far too red shade, almost matching his hair.</p>
<p>“What’s that supposed to mean?” Hinata had asked, eyes widened but looking away. He rolled on the balls of his feet, suddenly more awake than he had been moments before.</p>
<p>“Just what I said, idiot.”</p>
<p>Hinata glared, his face still the color of the apple they’d shared yesterday at lunch. “Please explain.”</p>
<p>Tobio shook his head. “If you don’t get it, then you don’t get it. Nothing to explain.”</p>
<p>“Fine,” Hinata half-shouted. He stomped his feet. Tobio found it hesitantly cute. </p>
<p>Daichi shouted from the clubroom to quit stalling and get changed for practice. Hinata turned on his heels, clearly intending to storm off and leave Tobio in the dust. Instead, he paused, and reached out his arm towards Tobio who had wandered up beside him. Hinata grabbed Tobio’s hand while pointedly facing away, intertwining their fingers.</p>
<p>“You’re a jerk,” Hinata said, still hand-in-hand as they made their way together to the clubroom, for once not racing. Tobio decided he couldn’t mean that.</p>
<p>“You’re a dumbass,” Tobio replied. He definitely didn’t mean it.</p>
<p>The fourth thing Tobio noticed about Hinata was that he’d started having mood swings around Tobio ever since they’d held hands. One moment, they’d be fine, bickering as normal and discussing volleyball or studying. The next, Hinata would freak out over something as minor as Tobio’s leg brushing his unintentionally. He would turn the same bright shade of red as he had that day and make some very obvious excuse to get as far away as he could from Tobio.</p>
<p>Tobio isn’t quite sure why this change happens. Hinata had been the one to grab his hand. Sure, Tobio hadn’t pulled away, hadn’t wanted to. But Hinata had no right to be acting embarrassed about something he started. </p>
<p>Tobio wanted to be closer. The simple permission of Hinata being the one to reach for his hand had broken the touch barrier in Tobio’s mind. He felt robbed that Hinata was being shy of his touch now. Tobio wanted to brush his hair with his hands when it got particularly knotted during practice, wanted to hug him close when the temperature dropped in the courtyard during lunch and they’d both forgotten their scarves, wanted to drop his head onto his shoulder on the bus on their way to practice matches. All that had felt like a real possibility at the time, when Hinata had silently consented to Tobio’s casual affection. Now, it felt further than ever.</p>
<p>Still, Tobio makes it a point once per day to casually pat Hinata on the head or to toss an arm around him, especially in moments where Hinata can’t slide away without drawing attention to himself. Tobio always watches him out of the corner of his eye during these moments, to make sure Hinata isn’t super uncomfortable. Despite his worry, Hinata always looks like he’s fighting back a pleased expression during these moments. His cheeks always flare and the corners of his mouth twitch and his eyes glaze over, like it’s taking his whole concentration to not grin and he can no longer listen to whatever Daichi is saying. He still always darts away afterwards, taking the warmth from Tobio’s chest.</p>
<p>Hinata snaps at him one day, during lunch where they straddle a bench facing each other, when Tobio has reached over to pluck a leaf out of Hinata’s hair. He turns bright red, his face almost darker than his hair. He tucks his mouth into his scarf and murmurs angrily though the layers of fabric, “Are you doing that on purpose? To torture me?”</p>
<p>Tobio tilts his head, narrowing his eyes. “Doing what?”</p>
<p>Hinata groans and cards his fingers through his hair, tugging his bangs over his eyes. “You keep touching me.”</p>
<p>Tobio glared, reaching for another piece of fruit out of his bento. “Why would I be doing it to torture you?”</p>
<p>“Why else would you be doing it?” Hinata groans. He unthreads his hands from his hair to shut the lid to his bento, apparently done eating for the day, before returning to rocking back and forth slightly on the bench. </p>
<p>“I liked holding your hand,” Tobio says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, which to him, it is. “Thought you were fine with it.”</p>
<p>Hinata’s face turns a new shade of red. “You can’t just say those things.”</p>
<p>“Why not?” Tobio puts his lunch behind him, sliding closer on the bench to bump their knees together.</p>
<p>Hinata sputters a bit, voice caught in his throat. He turns away and Tobio can see the blush has risen to his ears. “Have you not noticed?”</p>
<p>Tobio shakes his head. “Noticed what?”</p>
<p>Hinata’s next words come out in a rush, yet uncharacteristically quiet. “That I like you, idiot.”</p>
<p>Tobio’s eyes widen. The wind is the only thing he can hear for a moment, the wind rushing between them where Hinata has pulled back and is ready to dash away. He comes back to Earth after his mind feels like it has travelled the entirety of the galaxy to realize what has just been said to him. “You like me?”</p>
<p>Hinata grumbles in confirmation. “Unfortunately.”</p>
<p>Kageyama glares. “How’s it unfortunate?”</p>
<p>Hinata looks at Tobio like he’s an idiot, which he must be for not having noticed Hinata’s feelings earlier. “Cause you don’t like me back.”</p>
<p>Tobio considers this for a second, his mind reeling for the second time in a far too short a span of conversation. “I think I might, though.”</p>
<p>Hinata fumes for a second, his face turning a somehow even deeper shade. Tobio is certain his face is the reddest he’s ever seen it. His hands fumble together for a second, before Hinata blindly reaches for Tobio’s hands. Tobio meets him in the middle. “You sure?”</p>
<p>Tobio nods. “I think so.”</p>
<p>Hinata leans forward, bumping his forehead against Tobio’s. Tobio can feel his breath across his lips. “So this is fine then?”</p>
<p>Tobio doesn’t reply, choosing instead to close the distance and press a chaste kiss to Hinata’s lips. They part with a start, separating as quickly as they could. Tobio feels heat creep up his cheeks, feels like Hinata has somehow infected him with his blush.</p>
<p>The lunch bell rings as they sit in silence, neither daring to say a word or move from where they were until the rude interruption. They both jump to their feet, grabbing their lunches and then turning to face each other. Hinata reaches out his hand, grabbing Tobio’s. Their re-intertwined fingers make Tobio feel like the entire world has righted itself. They don’t look at each other as they walk back to class.</p>
<p>“I like you, idiot,” Hinata repeats.</p>
<p>Tobio hums back. “I like you too, dumbass.”</p>
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